School of Nursing

Office Information:

336 HHS Building
(828) 227-7467

Website: http://www.wcu.edu/learn/departments-schools-colleges/HHS/nursing/index.aspx

Dr. Terri Durbin, Director

Faculty and Staff Directory: https://www.wcu.edu/learn/departments-schools-colleges/HHS/nursing/school-of-nursing-faculty-and-staff/index.aspx

Pre-Licensure Nursing.

Declaration of a major in pre-nursing does not guarantee admission into the program. Students must formally apply and be admitted into the program before beginning the professional sequence of courses and/or proceeding into clinical placements. Admission to the upper-division nursing major is competitive, and priority is given to the best-qualified students. Admission is based on a cumulative GPA (3.00) minimum on all previous undergraduate college work and test scores. In addition to the academic requirements below, students are expected to adhere to the technical and professional standards and safe practice policies of the program. For the most up-to-date information regarding these standards, refer to the Nursing program website.

Minimum GPA Requirement: 3.00

When do Students Apply? To be considered for admission, all students must have completed, or be in the process of completing, 60 semester hours of college work, including program requirements. Applications from non-RNs are accepted twice per year. Refer to the nursing website (http://nursing.wcu.edu) for applicant deadlines.

Required Pre-requisites: To be considered for admission, all students must have completed, or be in the process of completing, 60 semester hours of college work, including program requirements.

Retention in the Program: Students must take and pass with a grade of C (2.00) or better all required courses in sequence and demonstrate professional and safe nursing practice. In addition, courses that combine selected content areas require the student to demonstrate competency in each content area by achieving a minimum exam score average of C (77%). For more information on retention policies in the nursing program, refer to the Nursing program website.

Accelerated Entry-Option for Second-Degree Students - Pre-Licensure Nursing Track

The accelerated 12-month option provides a fast track for students ready for a challenging transition to a career as a bachelor-of-science-educated registered nurse. The course requirements for the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) are the same as for the traditionally scheduled program, however, the content is taught in a compressed format. The ABSN is designed for non-working, full-time students. The ABSN option is taught on the Enka campus of Asheville-Buncombe Community College. Admission is based on a cumulative GPA (3.00) minimum on all previous undergraduate college work and test scores. An interview with ABSN Admissions Committee (scheduled after the application is complete) is also required. The “accelerated” pre-licensure entry option, ABSN, is only for persons who meet the following criteria:

Already have a bachelor’s (or higher) degree in another discipline from an accredited college or university
Have completed the prerequisites for the nursing major as listed on the website.
Can commit to an intense 12-month course of study
Can adhere to the technical and professional standards and safe practice policies of the program
Minimum GPA Requirement: 3.00

When do Students Apply? Applicants are accepted twice per year. Refer to the nursing website (http://nursing.wcu.edu) for application deadlines.

Retention in the Program: Students must take and pass with a grade of C (2.00) or better all required courses in sequence and demonstrate professional and safe nursing practice. In addition, courses that combine selected content areas require the student to demonstrate competency in each content area by achieving a minimum exam score average of C (77%). For more information on retention policies in the nursing program, refer to the Nursing program website.

RN to BSN Nursing Track

To be admitted to the program, students must satisfy the following admission prerequisites:

A current, unrestricted license to practice as an RN in North Carolina (includes Compact states).
A cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher on all post-secondary courses.
Completion of the School of Nursing course prerequisites and the WCU Liberal Studies requirements with grades of C or better.
Accumulation of at least 60 semester non-nursing credit hours.
The WCU Liberal Studies requirement is waived if the student has a previous baccalaureate degree or an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science from a North Carolina Community College. An Associate of Applied Science degree does not waive this requirement.

Retention in the Program: Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.25 overall in the major and earn a grade of C (2.00) or better in each required course in the major to remain in the program. The RN to BSN track is only for persons who meet the following criteria:
The RN to BSN track is only for persons who

Be able to adhere to the technical and professional standards and safe practice policies of the program. (For the most up-to-date information regarding standards, refer to the Nursing program website.)
Have completed WCU Liberal Studies requirements
Have at least 60 semester hours not counting previous Nursing courses
Desire the convenience of an online program (two required meetings per semester on the Enka Campus)
Have a current, unrestricted license to practice as an RN in North Carolina OR will have such a license before starting WCU NSG course

See the Nursing Program website for application deadlines.

Programs

Major

Other Programs

Nursing, BSN Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses (RIBN) Program